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Santa Baby
This title contains stories including "A Baby for Christmas" by Lisa Jackson, "Under the Mistletoe" by Elaine Coffman, "Holiday Stud" by Kylie Adams, and "Merry, Merry Mischief" by Lisa Plumley. "A Baby for Christmas" - It's turning out to be a Christmas of surprises for lonely Annie McFarlane. First, there's the adorable baby left on her doorstep, followed a day later by the angry, dangerously attractive man claiming to be the child's father. Liam O' Shaughnessy may be intimidating, but this is one precious gift Annie isn't giving up without a fight..."Under the Mistletoe" - Dr. Stanley Levine keeps his house like his life - orderly, predictable, serene - until the day eccentric Southern belle Holly Noel moves in next door with her brood of seven girls. It may be Christmas, but that doesn't mean the dedicated bachelor has to kow-tow to an unruly clan defended by one maddening, sultry mama..."Holiday Stud" - The only way single, successful career woman Audra Jarecki can face a Christmas homecoming - and the pitying eyes of her family - is with a gorgeous boyfriend on her arm. Hiring hunky Colby Douglas may be the worst mistake of Audra's life...or the answer to everything on her Christmas wish list. .."Merry, Merry Mischief" - Flirty Katie Moore is the ultimate good-time girl. Too bad she's held up at the office, helping nose-to-the grindstone architect Jack Brennan with a very special project: emergency babysitting for the boss' tiny daughter. Now, the party girl and the workaholic are joining forces to give the little bundle of joy a Christmas she'll never forget...
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2002
7 people are currently reading
455 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Jackson
272 books9,625 followersLisa Jackson is the number-one New York Times bestselling author of over ninety-five novels, including the Rick Bentz and Reuben Montoya Series, the Pescoli and Alvarez Series, the Savannah series, and numerous stand alone novels. She also is the co-author of One Last Breath, Last Girl Standing, and the Colony Series, written with her sister and bestselling author Nancy Bush, as well as the collaborative novels Sinister and Ominous, written with Nancy Bush and Rosalind Noonan. There are over thirty million copies of her novels in print and her writing has been translated into twenty languages.
Before she became a nationally bestselling author, she was a mother struggling to keep food on the table by writing novels, hoping against hope that someone would pay her for them. Today, neck deep in murder, her books appear on The New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly national bestseller lists.
With dozens of bestsellers to her name, Lisa Jackson is a master of taking readers to the edge of sanity—and back—in novels that buzz with dangerous secrets and deadly passions. She continues to be fascinated by the minds and motives of both her killers and their pursuers—the personal, the professional, and the downright twisted. As she builds the puzzle of relationships, actions, clues, lies, and personal histories that haunt her protagonists, she must also confront the fear and terror faced by her victims and the harsh and enduring truth that, in the real world, terror and madness touch far too many lives and families.
Visit http://www.LisaJackson.com where you can find a Media Kit with photos and more information.
Before she became a nationally bestselling author, she was a mother struggling to keep food on the table by writing novels, hoping against hope that someone would pay her for them. Today, neck deep in murder, her books appear on The New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly national bestseller lists.
With dozens of bestsellers to her name, Lisa Jackson is a master of taking readers to the edge of sanity—and back—in novels that buzz with dangerous secrets and deadly passions. She continues to be fascinated by the minds and motives of both her killers and their pursuers—the personal, the professional, and the downright twisted. As she builds the puzzle of relationships, actions, clues, lies, and personal histories that haunt her protagonists, she must also confront the fear and terror faced by her victims and the harsh and enduring truth that, in the real world, terror and madness touch far too many lives and families.
Visit http://www.LisaJackson.com where you can find a Media Kit with photos and more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
December 19, 2013
Loved all the stories but my favorite was the third story. Under the Mistletoe by Elaine Coffmann, featuring two unlikely people who fall in love and find closure for what is missing in their lives. Laugh out loud comical with 7 children, one cat, a nanny and a housekeeper. These neighbors will keep the good Dr. perplexed until he decides he has a hole in his life just him and the dog Plato. I love Lisa Plumley so her story would be the next favorite -- Merry Merry Mischief. A former couple who team up to babysit his baby cousin when the boss and wife are stuck overseas with a snow storm. Lisa Jackson's story, A Baby for Christmas, was cute but felt rushed; nevertheless I enjoyed it very much. Kylie Adams, Holiday Stud was a bit unbelievable and corny and yet I found myself smiling at the end.
December 31, 2021
I always have a hard time rating short stories. Well, here goes; I love Lisa Plumley's story, but it was wrapped up too quickly with a bow on top, and I felt it needed more. I couldn't finish Kylie Adams's story; it made no sense. I didn't read Elaine Coffman's story, but how in the world is her's 18 chapters when everyone else only had nine and maybe an Epilogue? Give her her own book; this is a book of short stories. Lisa Jackson's story was good but needed more too. Both Lisa Plumley and Lisa Jackson are two of my favorite authors, but I think this book would have been better if it was just one of theirs.
November 6, 2020
I picked up this book at a library sale earlier this year and since I love Christmas anthologies, I decided to give it a read, even though it came out 18 years ago (geez, where has the time gone?!?).
"Merry, Merry Mischief" by Lisa Plumley ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was the first novella in the book and I found it very cute and funny. Katie and Jack really did make a great couple. Katie was the bubbly Christmas spirit social butterfly and Jack was the workaholic grinch. They had apparently hooked up before this book started, but then decided to call it quits and avoided each other for 7 months. So when Jack is stuck babysitting his little cousin, Katie decides to help the clueless man out (they were both clueless though). What we get is a pretty hilarious but adorable short romance of Katie & Jack learning how to care for a baby while finally admitting their love for one another.
This was the first book I've read by Lisa Plumley so I went to see what else she's written but her other books just get mediocre reviews, so was this one just the exception? I'll still give her a chance though with something she's written recently.
"Holiday Stud" by Kylie Adams ⭐️
I was not a fan of this novella. It was pretty terrible. I mean if you like self-centered, high maintenance and shallow female characters, then this story is for you. We get a lifestyles of the rich and famous in L.A. rundown with a lot of names dropped, spa trips, private planes, etc. I mean I knew whenever Audra agreed with the snotty Stephanie and Renee (?) that she would be someone I didn't like. Her new 'friend' pays an escort to have sex with her, yet she's married. And she saw absolutely nothing wrong with that. Instead, she wanted the guy's number so that she could use him to impress her family and show them she's not a lesbian, or single, as her mom would like to think. After meeting her family, Audra was a totally different person it seemed. She was no longer 'better than you' but down to earth. But of course she ruins it by going back to L.A. and becoming that same snooty person. I liked Colby, but we didn't get very much of him. He didn't have a lot of depth in the story, but had potential, we just needed more time to get to know him. Not sure what he saw in Audra, but given he only really saw her around her family and not out where she could be herself, I find it hard to believe they'd last in the future.
"Under the Mistletoe" by Elaine Coffman⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was probably my favorite novella of the book, at least until those final 2 chapters. I enjoyed the broody Stanley. I mean he certainly had the patience of a saint when it came to the kids. And Holly was a lovely southern lady who seemed to be a little overwhelmed trying to raise 7 kids (4 of her own, 3 her dead sister's). But at least she had the help of a nanny and housekeeper (wondering how she made enough money illustrating books to have 2 helpers and stay at home to raise her kids).
Now, what I didn't like were her little rugrats. Yeah, I said it. I am born and raised in NC where your parents teach you to respect your elders, always be polite and mind your manners. Even though Holly called herself a southern belle, she certainly did not raise her kids the way a southern mama would. I mean her kids played in Stanley's driveway, broke multiple windows, stole his milk and newspaper, entered his home without permission, crushed his flowers, etc. Don't even get me started on their creepy peeping into his windows. And what does Holly do? Until Stanley gets injured, absolutely nothing. If she did warn them, we really don't hear of it. Instead, her paid staff yell at him and give him the evil eye anytime he complains. How can someone who claims to be a good Southern mama let her kids be that rude and disrespectful to someone else. Like I said, he had way more patience than I would have. My mama would have spanked me if I had acted that way as a kid.
OK, so overlooking the kids and their bratty behavior (they could actually be sweet at times), the rest of the book was good. The last two chapters seemed incredibly rushed. Stanley and Holly go from only speaking on occasion as neighbors to him proposing marriage after one kiss? Yeah, didn't see believable at all!
But in the end, I did think this was the better of the stories since I found myself rushing back to finish the novella.
"A Baby for Christmas" by Lisa Jackson⭐️⭐️
I wasn't a fan of this novella. It was way too far-fetched and didn't fit the genre of the rest of the books. It was more of a crime drama mixed with a tiny bit of romance (in a weird sort of way) instead of straight romance or romantic comedy. There's A LOT of drama too revolving around Annie's sister and Liam. It was just all a bit too much. And somehow we're supposed to believe that Annie falls for Liam after only a day? And during that day she did nothing but argue with him really, so again, not believable. The I love you's didn't seem realistic. I could believe the sexual tension to a certain extent, but it ramped up way too quickly for me to think it was a wise decision or a natural progression. There's a twist that I didn't see coming, but I really didn't find it necessary. The epilogue was cute though and I'm glad they at least found happiness and a little family. I started reading this and saw that the story takes place in 1995/96, but if this book was published in 2002, I'm now wondering if this novella wasn't part of another book before. It was pretty obvious it took place prior to 2000, although Liam did mention having a 'cellular' device at one point that didn't' have signal.
"Merry, Merry Mischief" by Lisa Plumley ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was the first novella in the book and I found it very cute and funny. Katie and Jack really did make a great couple. Katie was the bubbly Christmas spirit social butterfly and Jack was the workaholic grinch. They had apparently hooked up before this book started, but then decided to call it quits and avoided each other for 7 months. So when Jack is stuck babysitting his little cousin, Katie decides to help the clueless man out (they were both clueless though). What we get is a pretty hilarious but adorable short romance of Katie & Jack learning how to care for a baby while finally admitting their love for one another.
This was the first book I've read by Lisa Plumley so I went to see what else she's written but her other books just get mediocre reviews, so was this one just the exception? I'll still give her a chance though with something she's written recently.
"Holiday Stud" by Kylie Adams ⭐️
I was not a fan of this novella. It was pretty terrible. I mean if you like self-centered, high maintenance and shallow female characters, then this story is for you. We get a lifestyles of the rich and famous in L.A. rundown with a lot of names dropped, spa trips, private planes, etc. I mean I knew whenever Audra agreed with the snotty Stephanie and Renee (?) that she would be someone I didn't like. Her new 'friend' pays an escort to have sex with her, yet she's married. And she saw absolutely nothing wrong with that. Instead, she wanted the guy's number so that she could use him to impress her family and show them she's not a lesbian, or single, as her mom would like to think. After meeting her family, Audra was a totally different person it seemed. She was no longer 'better than you' but down to earth. But of course she ruins it by going back to L.A. and becoming that same snooty person. I liked Colby, but we didn't get very much of him. He didn't have a lot of depth in the story, but had potential, we just needed more time to get to know him. Not sure what he saw in Audra, but given he only really saw her around her family and not out where she could be herself, I find it hard to believe they'd last in the future.
"Under the Mistletoe" by Elaine Coffman⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was probably my favorite novella of the book, at least until those final 2 chapters. I enjoyed the broody Stanley. I mean he certainly had the patience of a saint when it came to the kids. And Holly was a lovely southern lady who seemed to be a little overwhelmed trying to raise 7 kids (4 of her own, 3 her dead sister's). But at least she had the help of a nanny and housekeeper (wondering how she made enough money illustrating books to have 2 helpers and stay at home to raise her kids).
Now, what I didn't like were her little rugrats. Yeah, I said it. I am born and raised in NC where your parents teach you to respect your elders, always be polite and mind your manners. Even though Holly called herself a southern belle, she certainly did not raise her kids the way a southern mama would. I mean her kids played in Stanley's driveway, broke multiple windows, stole his milk and newspaper, entered his home without permission, crushed his flowers, etc. Don't even get me started on their creepy peeping into his windows. And what does Holly do? Until Stanley gets injured, absolutely nothing. If she did warn them, we really don't hear of it. Instead, her paid staff yell at him and give him the evil eye anytime he complains. How can someone who claims to be a good Southern mama let her kids be that rude and disrespectful to someone else. Like I said, he had way more patience than I would have. My mama would have spanked me if I had acted that way as a kid.
OK, so overlooking the kids and their bratty behavior (they could actually be sweet at times), the rest of the book was good. The last two chapters seemed incredibly rushed. Stanley and Holly go from only speaking on occasion as neighbors to him proposing marriage after one kiss? Yeah, didn't see believable at all!
But in the end, I did think this was the better of the stories since I found myself rushing back to finish the novella.
"A Baby for Christmas" by Lisa Jackson⭐️⭐️
I wasn't a fan of this novella. It was way too far-fetched and didn't fit the genre of the rest of the books. It was more of a crime drama mixed with a tiny bit of romance (in a weird sort of way) instead of straight romance or romantic comedy. There's A LOT of drama too revolving around Annie's sister and Liam. It was just all a bit too much. And somehow we're supposed to believe that Annie falls for Liam after only a day? And during that day she did nothing but argue with him really, so again, not believable. The I love you's didn't seem realistic. I could believe the sexual tension to a certain extent, but it ramped up way too quickly for me to think it was a wise decision or a natural progression. There's a twist that I didn't see coming, but I really didn't find it necessary. The epilogue was cute though and I'm glad they at least found happiness and a little family. I started reading this and saw that the story takes place in 1995/96, but if this book was published in 2002, I'm now wondering if this novella wasn't part of another book before. It was pretty obvious it took place prior to 2000, although Liam did mention having a 'cellular' device at one point that didn't' have signal.
December 2, 2022
File this in "so bad it's good". It is PERFECT Christmas reading.
November 30, 2016
Four Christmas love stories to get you in the spirit! Humour, Hope, Dreams, and Love for the holiday season.
March 28, 2014
A Baby for Christmas by Lisa Jackson
It's turning out to be a Christmas of surprises for lonely Annie McFarlane. First, there's the adorable baby left on her doorstep, followed a day later by the angry, dangerously attractive man claiming to be the child's father. Liam O'Shaughnessy may be intimidating, but this is one precious gift Annie isn't giving up without a fight...
Annie McFarlane’s life shattered to pieces when her husband left her for his pregnant girlfriend after her own third miscarriage. But now she has built a new life in the country, doing secretarial work and caring for a house and horse from some elderly people. Then during a major snow storm, a baby has been left on her doorstep, with a simple note: For you Annie. Of course Annie falls in love with the little girl immediately, and names her Carol. She dutifully calls the sheriff office to report it, and Social Services. But everyone is busy with more important things than a missing baby right now, and she is left with the girl.
The next day though, Liam O’Shaughnessy barges into her little house, and wants to take the baby with him. He claims the baby is his and her sister Nola’s. Annie doesn’t want to believe him, and she certainly will not give up little Carol to him. And so Liam is stuck at Annie’s for a while, until her sister has been found and his name cleared.
Annie’s brother confirms that their sister was pregnant, but he also does not know where she went. Liam’s best friend is a private investigator, and he is searching for her sister as well. And as he is very good at his job, he will find her.
Annie has met Liam before, when he was still seeing her sister. That affair lasted only briefly though, and Liam is the only man Annie has ever liked that her sister was dating. And so, being thrown together, caring for the baby and the horses, they are attracted to each other and decide to get married. But what happens when Nola is found, and Liam is not the father after all?
A really nice story, and the reason I read this book. Lisa Jackson is coming to the Love Letter Convention in Berlin this May, and I wanted to read something by her.
I liked this story, and really felt for Annie, with all those miscarriages. She wanted nothing more than being a mother, and now she had a chance when a baby was left on her doorstep.
And Liam has had a hard time as well, and when he finds out he is a father, he is determined to do the right thing for his daughter. But Annie might just be the best thing that has happened to both of them…
7 stars.
Under the Mistletoe by Elaine Coffman
Dr. Stanley Levine keeps his house like his life - orderly, predictable, serene - until the day eccentric Southern belle Holly Noel moves in next door with her brood of seven girls. It may be Christmas, but that doesn't mean the dedicated bachelor has to kow-tow to an unruly clan defended by one maddening, sultry mama...
What a nice story, but those children would have driven me mad. Holly is a great character, a well bred and raised Southern lady, but not really lucky in love. Her first husband gave her twin daughters, now nine years old. Her second husband gave her another daughter, and her third husband the fourth daughter. Then both she and her beloved third husband, her sister and her sister’s husband were in a plane crash, with Holly as the only surviving adult. As she and her sister had promised each other to take care of their children if something would happen to one of them, Holly suddenly had three more daughters to care for. All in the ages between 2 and 9. Luckily she has a great housekeeper and a nanny who help her take care of them. Holly is a children’s book illustrator and she makes a good living at that. She loves all her children, but she is determined never to marry again, three times was enough.
Holly has also inherited her old home, and when that does not sell in one year, she decides to move back home and sell her apartment in town instead. Raising her daughters in a small town is much healthier for them after all.
Psychiatrist Dr Stanley Levine is not happy with his new neighbours. Being raised by his father, his grandfather and his uncle, and then gone to an all boy boarding school until university, he is not used to being around woman, and he does not know how to act around them. His new neighbour is everything he despises in a woman, and her children are noisy and loud and smashing his garden and windows. His big dog is terrified by their cat, an ugly crosseyed harelipped Persian. But somehow they get under his skin …
Personally, I would have gone mad getting those 10 females as my neighbours. I really don’t understand why Holly does not tell them to play in their own yard instead of his driveway, and why they keep stealing his milk and his newspaper and stuff. And why does she keep asking him for tools and sugar and stuff, while there are enough other neighbours who would like to help.
Yes I know, there would not be a love story otherwise. Still, I can’t like those children. But Holly loves them and cares for them. And she does not give up on Stanley.
A nice story, but I did not really believe in them being in love. There was not really any time spend together, they were just neighbours. They did not go out or something.
6 stars.
Holiday Stud by Kylie Adams
The only way single, successful career woman Audra Jarecki can face a Christmas homecoming - and the pitying eyes of her family - is with a gorgeous boyfriend on her arm. Hiring hunky Colby Douglas may the worst mistake of Audra's life...or the answer to everything on her Christmas wish list...
When her Calvin Klein underwear model boyfriend broke up with her, Audra did not want to go home for Christmas alone. Her mother already believes she is a lesbian, and both her sisters and their wayward husbands will be there as well. And her conspiracy theorist brother has just come out of the closet himself, and now suspects everyone of being gay.
So while pampering herself in a luxurious spa for the weekend, she overhears two women talking about having hired a man named George who is really amazing in bed. Being kind of desperate Audra decides to hire George for Christmas weekend to get her mother of her back.
George accepts her, but when he suddenly gets a request from another client for the same weekend, he convinces his recently fired best friend and roommate Colby to stand in for him … as Audra is a first time client, she doesn’t know him yet, and they do look alike enough for if he was described to her in details. Not wanting to go home for Christmas himself, and really needing the money, Colby finally accepts the job. His fiancée ran off with his baby brother recently and he has no desire to see them just yet, even though his mother really wants him home.
And so Colby accompanies Audra to her wacky family for Christmas. This of course does not work out as planned at all, and Colby has to leave.
I really enjoyed this fun story. I liked Audra, who is a very capable and busy business woman, and she saw a solution for her problem of being single again, and went for it. Being attracted to her “date” was not in the plans of course, but a nice benefit. The man sure can kiss!
The mother who is so determined that her daughter is gay, is annoying though, and so are the two sisters with the bad marriages. But they do change their lives and Audra loves them.
Colby is a very nice man, a pilot and he served in the army with George before that.
What I liked most about this story though, there is no rushed happy ever after ending, just that they meet again. Really nice short story.
8 stars.
Merry, Merry Mischief by Lisa Plumley
Flirty Katie Moore is the ultimate good-time girl. Too bad she's held up at the office, helping nose-to-the-grindstone architect Jack Brennan with a very special project: emergency babysitting for the boss's tiny daughter. Now, the party girl and the workaholic are joining forces to give the little bundle of joy a Christmas she'll never forget...
I really did not like this story, because of Lisa Plumley’s writing style.
DNF.
All in all a nice anthology, with three sweet Christmas stories. The strange thing is that the stories are not in the order as told on the blurb, but in the opposite order.
7 stars.
It's turning out to be a Christmas of surprises for lonely Annie McFarlane. First, there's the adorable baby left on her doorstep, followed a day later by the angry, dangerously attractive man claiming to be the child's father. Liam O'Shaughnessy may be intimidating, but this is one precious gift Annie isn't giving up without a fight...
Annie McFarlane’s life shattered to pieces when her husband left her for his pregnant girlfriend after her own third miscarriage. But now she has built a new life in the country, doing secretarial work and caring for a house and horse from some elderly people. Then during a major snow storm, a baby has been left on her doorstep, with a simple note: For you Annie. Of course Annie falls in love with the little girl immediately, and names her Carol. She dutifully calls the sheriff office to report it, and Social Services. But everyone is busy with more important things than a missing baby right now, and she is left with the girl.
The next day though, Liam O’Shaughnessy barges into her little house, and wants to take the baby with him. He claims the baby is his and her sister Nola’s. Annie doesn’t want to believe him, and she certainly will not give up little Carol to him. And so Liam is stuck at Annie’s for a while, until her sister has been found and his name cleared.
Annie’s brother confirms that their sister was pregnant, but he also does not know where she went. Liam’s best friend is a private investigator, and he is searching for her sister as well. And as he is very good at his job, he will find her.
Annie has met Liam before, when he was still seeing her sister. That affair lasted only briefly though, and Liam is the only man Annie has ever liked that her sister was dating. And so, being thrown together, caring for the baby and the horses, they are attracted to each other and decide to get married. But what happens when Nola is found, and Liam is not the father after all?
A really nice story, and the reason I read this book. Lisa Jackson is coming to the Love Letter Convention in Berlin this May, and I wanted to read something by her.
I liked this story, and really felt for Annie, with all those miscarriages. She wanted nothing more than being a mother, and now she had a chance when a baby was left on her doorstep.
And Liam has had a hard time as well, and when he finds out he is a father, he is determined to do the right thing for his daughter. But Annie might just be the best thing that has happened to both of them…
7 stars.
Under the Mistletoe by Elaine Coffman
Dr. Stanley Levine keeps his house like his life - orderly, predictable, serene - until the day eccentric Southern belle Holly Noel moves in next door with her brood of seven girls. It may be Christmas, but that doesn't mean the dedicated bachelor has to kow-tow to an unruly clan defended by one maddening, sultry mama...
What a nice story, but those children would have driven me mad. Holly is a great character, a well bred and raised Southern lady, but not really lucky in love. Her first husband gave her twin daughters, now nine years old. Her second husband gave her another daughter, and her third husband the fourth daughter. Then both she and her beloved third husband, her sister and her sister’s husband were in a plane crash, with Holly as the only surviving adult. As she and her sister had promised each other to take care of their children if something would happen to one of them, Holly suddenly had three more daughters to care for. All in the ages between 2 and 9. Luckily she has a great housekeeper and a nanny who help her take care of them. Holly is a children’s book illustrator and she makes a good living at that. She loves all her children, but she is determined never to marry again, three times was enough.
Holly has also inherited her old home, and when that does not sell in one year, she decides to move back home and sell her apartment in town instead. Raising her daughters in a small town is much healthier for them after all.
Psychiatrist Dr Stanley Levine is not happy with his new neighbours. Being raised by his father, his grandfather and his uncle, and then gone to an all boy boarding school until university, he is not used to being around woman, and he does not know how to act around them. His new neighbour is everything he despises in a woman, and her children are noisy and loud and smashing his garden and windows. His big dog is terrified by their cat, an ugly crosseyed harelipped Persian. But somehow they get under his skin …
Personally, I would have gone mad getting those 10 females as my neighbours. I really don’t understand why Holly does not tell them to play in their own yard instead of his driveway, and why they keep stealing his milk and his newspaper and stuff. And why does she keep asking him for tools and sugar and stuff, while there are enough other neighbours who would like to help.
Yes I know, there would not be a love story otherwise. Still, I can’t like those children. But Holly loves them and cares for them. And she does not give up on Stanley.
A nice story, but I did not really believe in them being in love. There was not really any time spend together, they were just neighbours. They did not go out or something.
6 stars.
Holiday Stud by Kylie Adams
The only way single, successful career woman Audra Jarecki can face a Christmas homecoming - and the pitying eyes of her family - is with a gorgeous boyfriend on her arm. Hiring hunky Colby Douglas may the worst mistake of Audra's life...or the answer to everything on her Christmas wish list...
When her Calvin Klein underwear model boyfriend broke up with her, Audra did not want to go home for Christmas alone. Her mother already believes she is a lesbian, and both her sisters and their wayward husbands will be there as well. And her conspiracy theorist brother has just come out of the closet himself, and now suspects everyone of being gay.
So while pampering herself in a luxurious spa for the weekend, she overhears two women talking about having hired a man named George who is really amazing in bed. Being kind of desperate Audra decides to hire George for Christmas weekend to get her mother of her back.
George accepts her, but when he suddenly gets a request from another client for the same weekend, he convinces his recently fired best friend and roommate Colby to stand in for him … as Audra is a first time client, she doesn’t know him yet, and they do look alike enough for if he was described to her in details. Not wanting to go home for Christmas himself, and really needing the money, Colby finally accepts the job. His fiancée ran off with his baby brother recently and he has no desire to see them just yet, even though his mother really wants him home.
And so Colby accompanies Audra to her wacky family for Christmas. This of course does not work out as planned at all, and Colby has to leave.
I really enjoyed this fun story. I liked Audra, who is a very capable and busy business woman, and she saw a solution for her problem of being single again, and went for it. Being attracted to her “date” was not in the plans of course, but a nice benefit. The man sure can kiss!
The mother who is so determined that her daughter is gay, is annoying though, and so are the two sisters with the bad marriages. But they do change their lives and Audra loves them.
Colby is a very nice man, a pilot and he served in the army with George before that.
What I liked most about this story though, there is no rushed happy ever after ending, just that they meet again. Really nice short story.
8 stars.
Merry, Merry Mischief by Lisa Plumley
Flirty Katie Moore is the ultimate good-time girl. Too bad she's held up at the office, helping nose-to-the-grindstone architect Jack Brennan with a very special project: emergency babysitting for the boss's tiny daughter. Now, the party girl and the workaholic are joining forces to give the little bundle of joy a Christmas she'll never forget...
I really did not like this story, because of Lisa Plumley’s writing style.
DNF.
All in all a nice anthology, with three sweet Christmas stories. The strange thing is that the stories are not in the order as told on the blurb, but in the opposite order.
7 stars.
© 2014 Reviews by Aurian
July 26, 2017
This was a book with 4 romance Christmas stories in it. All very easy to know what will happen, the typical romance novel.
June 1, 2023
I loved all the stories except the Lisa Jackson one. It was too rushed & depressing as well.
January 26, 2024
Four relatively light fun Christmas romances involving babies and / or children. I enjoyed each.
May 17, 2012
This title contains stories including "A Baby for Christmas" by Lisa Jackson, "Under the Mistletoe" by Elaine Coffman, "Holiday Stud" by Kylie Adams, and "Merry, Merry Mischief" by Lisa Plumley. "A Baby for Christmas" - It's turning out to be a Christmas of surprises for lonely Annie McFarlane. First, there's the adorable baby left on her doorstep, followed a day later by the angry, dangerously at...tractive man claiming to be the child's father. Liam O' Shaughnessy may be intimidating, but this is one precious gift Annie isn't giving up without a fight..."Under the Mistletoe" - Dr. Stanley Levine keeps his house like his life - orderly, predictable, serene - until the day eccentric Southern belle Holly Noel moves in next door with her brood of seven girls. It may be Christmas, but that doesn't mean the dedicated bachelor has to kow-tow to an unruly clan defended by one maddening, sultry mama..."Holiday Stud" - The only way single, successful career woman Audra Jarecki can face a Christmas homecoming - and the pitying eyes of her family - is with a gorgeous boyfriend on her arm. Hiring hunky Colby Douglas may be the worst mistake of Audra's life...or the answer to everything on her Christmas wish list. .."Merry, Merry Mischief" - Flirty Katie Moore is the ultimate good-time girl. Too bad she's held up at the office, helping nose-to-the grindstone architect Jack Brennan with a very special project: emergency babysitting for the boss' tiny daughter. Now, the party girl and the workaholic are joining forces to give the little bundle of joy a Christmas she'll never forget...
i bought this book brand new at a second hand store and i am really glad that i did, this is Christmas book with 4 stories in it from 4 different Authors, i started reading this book on December the 23rd 2011, and stopped on Christmas because i got a nook and wanted to read some books on it, i started reading it again on may the 2nd, so i could see what happens in all of the stories, all 4 stories are very very good, and very interesting, the 1st story in this book is called merry merry Mischief by Lisa Plumley, the 2nd story in this book is called holiday stud by Kylie Adams, the 3rd story in this book is called under the mistletoe by Elaine Coffman, the 4th story is called a baby for Christmas by Lisa Jackson, the 4th 1 was my favorite 1 out of all 4, these 4 stories was the best Christmas stories i have ever read, if you want to read a great Christmas book with different stories by different Authors i suggest this book, i highly Recommend this book to everyone, i could hardly put this book down, i really enjoyed these 4 stories alot, i give this book and each story 5 stars.
i bought this book brand new at a second hand store and i am really glad that i did, this is Christmas book with 4 stories in it from 4 different Authors, i started reading this book on December the 23rd 2011, and stopped on Christmas because i got a nook and wanted to read some books on it, i started reading it again on may the 2nd, so i could see what happens in all of the stories, all 4 stories are very very good, and very interesting, the 1st story in this book is called merry merry Mischief by Lisa Plumley, the 2nd story in this book is called holiday stud by Kylie Adams, the 3rd story in this book is called under the mistletoe by Elaine Coffman, the 4th story is called a baby for Christmas by Lisa Jackson, the 4th 1 was my favorite 1 out of all 4, these 4 stories was the best Christmas stories i have ever read, if you want to read a great Christmas book with different stories by different Authors i suggest this book, i highly Recommend this book to everyone, i could hardly put this book down, i really enjoyed these 4 stories alot, i give this book and each story 5 stars.
April 1, 2017
A group of 4 contemporary Christmas stories from authors I've never heard of & never heard of since.
Lisa Plumley 3 stars - A light hearted Christmas romp involving a happy go lucky party girl & her co-worker/former boyfriend who is a workaholic. They get stuck watching the boss's baby daughter over Christmas & reconnect. I liked it!
Kylie Adams - 1 star - The only turkey in this bunch. Female lead, who is a lawyer for a modeling agency has to go home for Christmas with a handsome boyfriend (& is hoping for some HOT sex). Male lead, who is friends with a celebrity gigilo agrees to stand in for his friend when a scheduling snafu occurs. It's as nasty as it sounds!
Elaine Coffman - 4 stars - You wouldn't think I'd like a story about a woman who's been married 3 times (divorced twice, widowed once). However, this is the best story in the book! I really liked Holly & I LOVED Stanley! Holly is mother to 7 (!!!) little girls, 4 of her own & 3 of her dead sister. Stanley is a confirmed bachelor who hates kids (when they get into his yard & destroy his garden). Over the course of 6 months they fall in love. The heroine & hero are both older (35 & 40)& that's a nice change.
Lisa Jackson - 3 stars - interesting twist on the "caught in a blizzard
in a cabin in the woods" story. There is a crime background story involving the hero & the heroine's sister. In fact, the hero & the sister had a brief affair about 9 months ago. It also involves a baby, who turns out to be the sisters & the hero's (???). This could easily be turned into a Jerry Springer type story, but the author keeps it focused on romance. It's all good :)
Lisa Plumley 3 stars - A light hearted Christmas romp involving a happy go lucky party girl & her co-worker/former boyfriend who is a workaholic. They get stuck watching the boss's baby daughter over Christmas & reconnect. I liked it!
Kylie Adams - 1 star - The only turkey in this bunch. Female lead, who is a lawyer for a modeling agency has to go home for Christmas with a handsome boyfriend (& is hoping for some HOT sex). Male lead, who is friends with a celebrity gigilo agrees to stand in for his friend when a scheduling snafu occurs. It's as nasty as it sounds!
Elaine Coffman - 4 stars - You wouldn't think I'd like a story about a woman who's been married 3 times (divorced twice, widowed once). However, this is the best story in the book! I really liked Holly & I LOVED Stanley! Holly is mother to 7 (!!!) little girls, 4 of her own & 3 of her dead sister. Stanley is a confirmed bachelor who hates kids (when they get into his yard & destroy his garden). Over the course of 6 months they fall in love. The heroine & hero are both older (35 & 40)& that's a nice change.
Lisa Jackson - 3 stars - interesting twist on the "caught in a blizzard
in a cabin in the woods" story. There is a crime background story involving the hero & the heroine's sister. In fact, the hero & the sister had a brief affair about 9 months ago. It also involves a baby, who turns out to be the sisters & the hero's (???). This could easily be turned into a Jerry Springer type story, but the author keeps it focused on romance. It's all good :)
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June 21, 2012Ugh !!!!! Took me forever to get through this one. I hate not finishing a book, but kept putting off reading this because it was so lame. Contained 4 short Christmas stories, that in the most part were pretty predictable. It was like all four of the authors were in a contest to write a short story in an hours time and these were the results. Very disappointed in this book and would not recommend unless you are desperate and feel like wasting your time. This is several hours of my life I won't get back.
December 10, 2012
Lisa Plumley's Story sucked really bad. I couldn't wait to finish it. Kylie Adams, story was funny and amusing also a lot better than the first. There were good steamy parts. Elaine Coffeman's Story was the best of all four and funny. I found myself really rooting for Stanly and Holly. very enjoyable story. Last story by Lisa Jackson was good as well and was fun to read. Thus story also had seamy sex as well.
All the stories had a common theme babies or young children in them. Only if you like romance this book is good for you thought I would skip the first story all together.
All the stories had a common theme babies or young children in them. Only if you like romance this book is good for you thought I would skip the first story all together.
March 28, 2013
I thought I could make it to the end of this one, even if I didn't love it. I think the most lasting thing I'll take away from this book is children need loving discipline, or they'll be inexcusable monsters. If you just laugh off their ongoing misbehavior as "oh well, kids will be kids", you're a moron.
November 25, 2015
Like watching a hallmark channel movie, only worse. The stories go like this:
Story 1--eh
Story 2--ugh
story 3--oh god please stop
Story 4--better, but is that just because the last one was so awful?
Story 1--eh
Story 2--ugh
story 3--oh god please stop
Story 4--better, but is that just because the last one was so awful?
June 28, 2018
This was not my kind of book. While I don't mind passionate scenes, this was a little too risque for me. The title should have clued me in that it was more like the Christmas song and not a whimsical choice. Definitely not on my recommendation list.
February 25, 2008
I read the first story and skimmed the rest. I really liked the first, but the rest just didn't appeal to me.
January 6, 2009
4 very good contemporary romances involving babies or children, at Christmas time.
August 24, 2009
The Plumley one was OK; one was unfinishable (nice idea, horrible writing); and the others were so-so--weak, but not awful.
August 30, 2015
Good stories. Liked the characters and the storylines.
December 19, 2009
I really wanted to like these stories, but for the most part they really didn't appeal.
December 27, 2009
Fast and fun, I love Christmas anthologies!
August 5, 2011
Cute stories with lots of romance and happy ending. I suggest you read this during the holiday season. It was okay.
December 7, 2012
Really cute. Predictable, but heart-warming. :)
December 1, 2013
Have looked my old copy,but can't find it. Avery funny and romantic read.
December 20, 2013
Each story was completely different. Yet I was interested in all of them and able to read the book very quickly.
August 24, 2014
Four contemporary stories are in this Christmas themed anthology. I can't really recommend any of these stories, though the Coffman and Adams stories do have some funny moments. My rating: 2.5 Stars.
December 29, 2014
Cute Stories for the holidays!
December 19, 2014
meh. very meh. one was so awful I could barely start it, much less finish.
October 14, 2016
I finished this a long time ago but never up-dated the status. Can't remember much about it and have already passed along to my mother so it must have been worth the read.
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